U.S. stocks rose strongly Thursday, reversing a four-session losing run, after a government report said the economy grew more than expected in the July-September quarter.  Investors shunned Treasuries and jumped back into stocks after the report signaled the economy had emerged from the worst recession since the 1930s. 

The positive surprise was enough to propel benchmark indexes to their biggest advance since July and send safe havens like Treasuries and dollar lower.  Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) and Alcoa Inc. (NYSE:AA) advanced at least 5.1% after the Commerce Department said the economy returned to growth following four straight quarters of decline.  Crude prices jumped $2.44, or 3.1%, to $79.87 and gold was up $16.50 to $1046.40.

The S&P 500 registered its biggest one-day gain since July 23, jumping 2.2% to close at 1,066.11.  The 30-share Dow Jones industrial average shot up by 199.89 points, or 2.05%, at 9,962.58 and the tech-heavy

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 30, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Gentiva Health Services Inc. (GTIV), Lincoln National Corp. (LNC), Manulife Financial Corp. (MFC), Principal Financial Group (PFG) and Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Thursday’s AnalystBlog:

Gentiva Beats Zacks Estimate

Gentiva Health Services Inc. (GTIV) reported a third-quarter (ended Sept. 27, 2009) net income of 54 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2 cents. Net income per share was 42 cents in

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Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

1-800-FLOWERS.COM Inc (FLWS) 3D Systems Corp (TDSC) ACI Worldwide Inc (ACIW) Advanta Corp (ADVNB) Alon USA Energy Inc (ALJ) Alphatec Holdings Inc (ATEC) American Water Works Co Inc (AWK) AMETEK Inc (AME) Anaren Inc (ANEN) Animal Health International Inc (AHII) Apogee Enterprises Inc (APOG) Bankrate Inc (RATE) Banner Corp (BANR) Bel Fuse Inc (BELFB) Belden Inc (BDC) Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc (BIO) Blockbuster Inc (BBI) ...

Torchmark surpasses expectations but lowers guidance Torchmark Corporation’s (TMK) second quarter operating earnings of $1.53 per share were 3 pennies ahead of both our expectation as well as the Street. This compares to operating earnings of $1.44 per share in the year-ago quarter. Results reflected strong growth in life sales, though health sales were significantly down in the quarter. However, the company has reduced its guidance for the full fiscal year 2009. The company now expects its net operating income per share in the range of $5.93 to $6.08, assuming no share repurchases. The previous guidance was $6.00-6.15 per share. Torchmark reported its second quarter earnings after market close on July 27. For the quarter, the company reported net income was $1.38 per share compared with $1.47 per share for the year-ago quarter. Life sales were strong in the quarter, primarily driven by the ...

Hartford Financial Services Group (HIG) said Chief Executive Ramani Ayer will retire by December, ending his 12-year stint at the top position in the midst of increasing pressure from shareholders.

As the credit crisis intensified through a tumultuous year, Hartford lost $2.7 billion for writing down the value of mortgage-related assets and corporate debt in 2008.

In October, faced with concerns over the company's capital levels, Ayer accepted a $2.5 billion cash investment from German peer Allianz SE (AZ).

Even then, the downward trend in equity markets continued to drag the Connecticut-based firm along with it. All three key credit ratings agencies downgraded Hartford. To meet rising challenges, Ayer cut jobs, slashed the company's dividend by 84% and appealed for funds under the US Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

Last month, Hartford won preliminary approval for $3.4 billion in government bailout along with six other insurers.

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL - June 2, 2009 - Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Prudential (PRU), Hartford Financial Services Group (HIG), Allstate (ALL), Lincoln National Corp. (LNC) and Principal Financial Group (PFG).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=4579.

Here are highlights from Monday's Analyst Blog:

Prudential Chooses to Go It Alone

Last month, under the Treasury Department's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) the major insurers, including Prudential (PRU), Hartford Financial Services Group (HIG), Allstate (ALL), Lincoln National Corp. (LNC) and Principal

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Last month, under the Treasury Department's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), 6 major insurers -- Prudential (PRU), Hartford Financial Services Group (HIG), Allstate (ALL), Lincoln National Corp. (LNC), Ameriprise Financial (AMP) and Principal Financial Group (PFG) were permitted to tap into the program for additional capital. As of Friday, only ALL and AMP had declined to accept the government's offer of funds. However, earlier today PRU stated that it would not be taking funds from the government's financial rescue program. Instead, the company plans to raise $1.25 billion on its own through a common stock offering in order to beef-up its reserves.Any additional funds will be used for general corporate purposes (including adding capital to its insurance subsidiaries for the repayment of short-term debt or for potential strategic initiatives). In addition, the underwriters of the offering have been granted ...

We highlight Harford Financial Services (HIG), Lincoln National Corp. (LNC), The Allstate Corp. (ALL), Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (AMP), Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) and Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU).The Treasury Department has agreed to extend the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP), originally designated for banks, to life insures in order to shore up the capital positions of these entities in the wake of major investment losses. In discussions with a congressional oversight committee, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner stated that the TARP fund now has $110 billion left in the fund that has not been committed, excluding those funds that the financial institutions are wanting to repay.At this time, Harford Financial (HIG) was recently notified that it was eligible for funds, while Lincoln (LNC), Allstate (ALL), Ameriprise (AMP), Principal (PFG) and Prudential (PRU) have received preliminary ...

Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

ABB Ltd (ABB) ACIW (ACIW) AnnTaylor Stores Corp (ANN) Argo Group International Holdings Ltd (AGII) Bancolombia SA (CIB) Bristow Group Inc (BRS) BRT Realty Trust (BRT) Cadence Financial Corp (CADE) CenterPoint Energy Inc (CNP) Collective Brands Inc (PSS) El Paso Electric Co (EE) Erie Indemnity Co (ERIE) Expeditors International of Washington (EXPD) Fairpoint Communications Inc (FRP) Ferro Corp (FOE) First Merchants Corp (FRME) First Security Group Inc (FSGI) Fuel Tech Inc (FTEK) Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA (GOL) Harleysville Group Inc (HGIC) Haverty Furniture Companies Inc (HVT) Heartland Payment Systems Inc (HPY) Huntsman Corp (HUN) Intrepid Potash Inc (IPI) ITT Corp (ITT) Jo-Ann Stores Inc (JAS) Kelly Services Inc ...

Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

ABB Ltd (ABB) Axis Capital Holdings Ltd (AXS) The Black & Decker Corp (BDK) Cal Dive International Inc (DVR) AM Castle & Co (CAS) Credicorp Ltd (BAP) DTE Energy Co (DTE) Equinix Inc (EQIX) Flushing Financial Corp (FFIC) Franklin Electric Co (FELE) Arthur J Gallagher & Co (AJG) GATX Corp (GMT) Genuine Parts Co (GPC) KB Financial Group Inc (KB) Lincoln National Corp (LNC) Matrix Service Co (MTRX) Mechel OAO (MTL) PacWest Bancorp (PACW) Peoples Financial Corp (PFBX) Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc (SHO) The Timken Co (TKR) UTi Worldwide Inc (UTIW) Anixter International Inc (AXE) Blyth Inc (BTH) Camden Property Trust (CPT) Chicago Bridge & Iron Company NV (CBI) ...